Can opener



Oct, 20, 1925- J. JONES cw onus]! r11! April 20. 1925 Jrwchtoc m. m a J Patented Got. 20, 1925.

UNI-TEE TES .zmson JONES, :or novnn, OKLAHOMA.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed April 20, 19.25. ,Serial No. 24,549.

To; all whom it may concern:

Beit'known that I, JAsoN Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dover, in the county o't-Kin'gfisher and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ,in Can Openers, or which the following is specification.

This inventionrelates to can openers and one object of the invention is to provide a can opener the construction of which is such that when placed against the-outer side ofthe rolled joint connecting the'head off a can with the can'body, itwill tightly :grip the joint while the operating handle is moved downwardly to force the cutting blade through the head of the can.

Another'objectof'the invention to so construct the can opener that the-blade in "forming the out through the"head of the can will cause'the metal to be forced inwardly .and prevent'the formation of a raw edge which is liable to cut the hands.

Another object of the invention is to so construct and mount'thehandle that it may bevery easily grasped and swung downwardly againstthe-action ofa spring when "Forcing *thebladethrough thehead of the can. i

Another objectsot' "the inventi'on is to provide a can opener ihaving a. lug or tooth which engages the' lower' edge of the rolled seam of'a can: to'prevent movement of the can open'er out 01 an opera'tiveposition and also serves as an abutment for limiting swinging movement of the handle in an upward direction and as anfla-butment forone end of a spring which yieldably retains the handle in an elevatedlposition.

TliisFinventi'on is 'ill ustrated in the accompanying drawing, Wherein *Figure l isa' view in side elevationshowing the can opener in position for use and applied toacan indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 2is a viewtaken at right angles to i'g. 1 and showing -a portion ofthe canin 'section'l-andthe can opener imposition for use and .Fig. is a. transverse sectional view through the" rcan opener taken on the line tot-Fi 1. Y

- ener is'providedfivith a mount- I ng plate 1 'ivliich substantially rect an u- 1a? in sha eaanfl adapted to hexdisposed against one sideof a "canwith its upper end "portion"entending'above thecan. Strips 2 and'dwhidlnare formed of strong metal are secured to the outer face ofthe plate 1 and are disposed transversely thereof and in spaced relation to eachother a suiiicient distance to permit a securing nut lto be disposed between them, as shown in Fig. 1-2. These strips will, thereforaserve as looking means to secure the nut i and prevent it from working loose and releasingthe screw '5 which latter serves as apin to pivotally mount the handle 6. The handle orlever 6 extends upwardly from the plate 1 and has its upper end portion 7 disposed atan incline .to its lower end portion. Strips 8 are secured against opposite side faces of the upper endportion 7 of thehandle so that said handle may be easily grasped when it is desired to swing the handle downwardly in operating the can opener. At its lower end the handle is provided with a dependinglug 9 Which is engaged by the free end ofthe curved yarm, lo or the spring '11. This spring lllis preferably formed from a strip of spring steel which is bent intermediate its length to provide an eye 12,handlesengaging;ar1ni13 and abutment engaging arm 14. Thespring is secured to the lower endportion of the plate 1 by means-.ofa pin 15 rivetedin an opening formed in the plate and at its outer end 'isprovided with an enlarged head for firm gripping engagement with the spring eye. The handlesengaging arm. 10"

of the spring is curved throughout its length-so that-a very strong spring is provided which wilLopera-te against thehandle in a very effective manner :and exert sufficient pressure to prevent the cutting blade 16 from becoming hung in a slit formed in the 'head of a can when the can opener is in use; v

The outer ,end portion of the .strip 3 is bent to extend'through a recess 17"provided in one side of the plate 1,,andthis bent end portion provides a lag or teeth 18 which servesias anabutment lug for engagement with the upper end of the-spring arm 14 .and further serves asan abutment adapted [to extend beneath the rolled seam '19 connecting the headQQQ with thebod'y portion "21 of the can. Iltp-ishouldbenoted thatthe nee end portion of the tooth orllug"l8.;is sharpened, so that-flit will bite'iintc'i the roan beneath the seam and if necessary :cut through accumulated -soldenbrovid'ed [at said seam. The upper stripf2 extends outwardly from the side of the pistol andhas its free end portion bent to provide an abutment arn 22 which will engage the upper edge of the seam 19, as shown in Fig. 2, and serve to brace the plate 1, and prevent it from tilting out or the proper position when pressure is applied to the handle to force the blade 16 through the top or head of the can. This blade 16 extends at a downward incline from the handle or lever 3 and at its innerend is provided with a shank 23 which is secured flat againstthe handle 6 by screws or other fasteners Screws are preferably used to secure the blade to the handle so that when necessary the blade may be removed and sharpened.

When the device is in use, the can will be placed upon a table or other suitable sup port and the can opener grasped by the inclined upper end portion of the handle and applied to the side of the can with the tooth 18 disposed beneath the rolled seam l9 and the arm 22 extending above this scam. When in this position, the blade will be disposed above the head or the can and close to the seam, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the handle is forced downwardly the blade will cut through the head of the can and form a slit which will be close to the body of the can. lVhen the pressure is exerted to swing the handle downwardly against the action of the spring 11, the plate will first be tilted slightly to bring the arm 22 and tooth 18 into tight gripping engagement with the seam 19 and the handle will then be swung downwardly. After the blade has been forced through the head of the can, the handle will be allowed to move upwardly under the action of the spring and will return to the elevated posi tion with the blade above the can. The

, mounting plate will be moved forwardly to a new position and pressure will then be again exerted to force the handle downwardly for a second cut. This will be repeated until the head oi the can has been "at a sutlicient distance to permit of its being swung to an open position. Of course, if desired, the cutting may be continued until the head of the can is entirely severed from the body thereof.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A can opener comprising a mounting member adapted to be positioned at the side of a can and extend above the can, means for retaining said mounting member against vertical movement when placed against a can, a handle connected with said mounting member for movement towards and away from the head of the can, a cutting blade carried by said handle for cutting through the head of the can, when the handle is moved downwardly, and means normally holding said handle against down ward movement.

2. A can opener comprising a mounting member adapted to be positioned at the side of a can and extend above the can, means for retaining said mounting member against vertical movement when placed against a can, a handle pivotally connected with said mounting member, a cutting blade carried by said handle for cutting through the head of a can when the handle is swung downwardly, and resilient means yieldably holding said handle against'downward swinging movement.

3. A can opener comprising a mounting plate adapted to be positioned at one side of a can and extend above the can, a tooth extending from said plate for engagement with the lower edge of a seam connecting the head with the body of a can, an arm extending from said plate for engagement with the upper edge of the can seam, a handle pivotally connected with said plate for vertical swinging movement, a blade car ried by said handle for cutting through the head of a can when the handle is swung downwardly, and resilient means carried by said plate and engaging said handle to yieldably hold the same against downward swinging movement.

l. A can opener comprising a mounting plate adapted to be positioned at the side of a can and extend above the can, a tooth extending from said plate for engagement with the under edge of a seam connecting a can head with the body of a can, an abutment arm extending from said plate for engage ment with the upper edge of the can seam, a handle pivotally connected with said plate and having a depending lug at its lower end, a cutting blade carried by said handle and inclined downwardly therefrom for cutting through a can head when the handle is swung downwardly, and a spring secured against said plate and having an abutment arm engaging said tooth and an operating arm engaging the lug of said handle to yieldably hold the handle against downward swinging movement.

5. A can opener comprising a mounting plate adapted to be positioned against the side of a can and extend above the same, strips secured against the outer face of said plate and disposed transversely thereon, one strip having an end portion bent to provide a tooth extending through a recess in said plate and adapted for engagement with the under edge ota can sean'nthe other strip extending'transversel from the plate and having its free end portion bent to provide an arm for engagement with the upper edge of a can seam, a handle pivotally connected with said plate and extending upwardly from the plate with its upper end portion disposed at an incline to its lower end portion, a depending lug at the lower end of said handle for engagement with said tooth to limit upward swinging movement of the handle, a blade carried by said handle and extending at a downward incline therefrom between the seam engaging tooth and arm, and a 5 spring secured against the lower end portion of said plate and having an abutment arm engaging said tooth and an operating arm curved longitudinally and engaging the depending lug of said handle to yieldably hold the handle against downward swinging movement.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JASON JONES. L s.] 

